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Joe Wynn^1,2, Nathalie Kürten¹, Maria Moiron^1,3

¹Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

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|January 27, 2025

Summary

Older common terns navigate more efficiently, reducing migration time and improving arrival. This suggests natural selection, not adult learning, drives navigational skill improvements in these long-distance migrants.

Keywords:

behaviour cognition geolocation learning navigation seabirds selection

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Area of Science:

Avian ecology
Evolutionary biology
Animal behavior

Background:

Efficient long-distance migration is linked to increased fitness in migratory species.
However, direct evidence for natural selection acting on navigational efficiency is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between age, navigational efficiency, and migration success in common terns.
To determine if observed age-related improvements in navigation are due to learning or selection.

Main Methods:

Analysis of 228 migratory tracks from 102 adult common terns (Sterna hirundo) aged 3-22 years.
Comparison of navigational efficiency, migration duration, and arrival timing across different age groups.

Main Results:

Older common terns demonstrated more efficient navigation compared to younger terns.
Efficient navigation correlated with shorter migration durations and earlier arrivals at breeding and wintering grounds.
Age-specific navigational efficiency was not explained by within-individual learning, suggesting selective survival of more efficient navigators.

Conclusions:

Natural selection likely plays a significant role in shaping navigational efficiency in adult common terns.
Navigational skill learning may primarily occur before adulthood.
Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding age-related behavioral changes and the evolutionary implications of navigational traits in migratory animals.